Conservatory of Music

Yoko Hirano-Itatani was born in Kanagawa, Japan. She graduated from the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music in 1997, having majored in Japanese traditional music under the renowned musician, Professor Masateru Ando. She specializes in the Ikuta-style Koto and the Sangen. In 1995 she performed in the Young Artist Concert in Chiba, Japan, and held annual recitals of her musical trio "Sonet"(violin, piano and Koto) in 1998-2000.

She moved to Ottawa in 2000 where she performed koto at the Tulip festival, the Music and People Festival in Montreal, and at several cultural events at the University of Ottawa, Carleton University, the Museum of Civilization, and Parliament Hill. In 2006, she gave a joint recital with Yoshio Kurahashi (shakuhachi) that was promoted by the embassy of Japan. She currently lives in Berkeley, California where she continues her music activity performing several joint concerts and teaching Koto and Sangen.

She is a member of Miyagi-kai and Mori-no-kai associations in Japan.